Support West Dean Image of Footprint stairs at West Dean

Support us

West Dean was founded thanks to the vision of an extraordinary man, Edward James, who was passionate about teaching traditional heritage and craft skills. Today we run a world class education programme thanks to the continuing vision of many extraordinary and talented tutors, crafts people and supporters of our work.

Our educational courses and programmes spanning higher education degrees and diplomas and further education short courses contribute greatly to public life, including through the protection of heritage craft skills, the promotion of sustainable design and making techniques and the enhancement of wellbeing.

We provide significant financial subsidies across all our educational activities and we award a number of scholarships and bursaries to enable students who might otherwise be unable to do so to study at the College. We also provide public access to West Dean Estate, West Dean Gardens, West Dean House and West Dean College, and we operate West Dean Stores as an essential service to the local community, all are part of The Edward James Foundation Ltd, a charity registered in England and Wales. Charity number 1126084.

We receive no government funding to deliver our work and so we rely on support to help us deliver our charitable objectives. No matter what size your gift, it all makes a difference.

If you share our passion for historic conservation and the arts, and for our tranquil and inspiring gardens and grounds, please support our work with a donation.

How to donate

To make a one-off donation or a recurring gift to support degree and diploma or short course scholarships and bursaries at our West Dean Sussex and London campus' or to support West Dean Gardens using your credit or debit card, please make your donation through our dedicated Donate Now form below.

To donate by cheque, make a direct transfer or set up a Direct Debit instruction to support one of the above campaigns please download our donation form and follow the return instructions.  

If you’d like to discuss your plans before making a donation, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Please email [email protected] or call the Student Funding and Outreach Team on 01243 818300 (option 5).

Thank you for your support!

Donate Now

Tax efficient giving

Furniture student at West Dean

Find out about how you can make your gift tax-efficient.

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Ancient Oak Tree at West Dean Gardens

Gift in your will

Help secure the future of West Dean College and Gardens.

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In memory of our kind donors at West Dean College

In memory

Find out about some of the wonderful people who have inspired scholarships and bursaries in their names. Scholarships and bursaries are a vital source of support for many of our students, enabling them to pursue their studies and career aspirations in creative arts, conservation and heritage craft skills, skills vital in the preservation of our national and international heritage, and the many objects held in our care for the benefit of future generations. Could it be the prompt you need to support our talented students?

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Musical Instrument student at West Dean

Scholarships & bursaries

In a challenging economic climate with limited funding for postgraduate studies, providing financial support for our students through Scholarships and Bursaries is more important than ever.

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Our commitment to best fundraising practice

Our commitment to best fundraising practice is demonstrated by our membership of the Fundraising Regulator's self-regulatory scheme and our adherence to the code. As an organisation registered with the Fundraising Regulator and using the Fundraising Badge ( the logo that says ‘ registered with Fundraising regulator) we are committing to meeting the standards of the code. It means people have confidence in the way we carry out our activities. If we fail to meet the standards of the code, the Fundraising Regulator may take action such as asking us to remove the Fundraising Badge from documents and other fundraising materials.

Our core mission and the trust of our donors are central to all of our fundraising activities and we work in a legal, open, honest and respectful manner with all stakeholders.

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We commit to high standards

  • We adhere to the Fundraising Code of Practice
  • We monitor fundraisers, volunteers and third parties working with us to raise funds, to ensure that they comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice and with this Promise
  • We comply with the law as it applies to charities and fundraising
  • We display the Fundraising Regulator badge on our fundraising material to show we are committed to good practice

We are clear, honest and open

  • We tell the truth and we do not exaggerate
  • We do what we say we are going to do with donations we receive
  • We are clear about who we are and what we do
  • We give a clear explanation of how donors can make a gift and change a regular donation[HH1] 
  • If we ask a third party to fundraise on our behalf, we will make this relationship and the financial arrangement transparent
  • We can explain our fundraising costs and show how they are in the best interests of our cause if challenged
  • We ensure our complaints process is clear and easily accessible
  • We provide clear and evidence-based reasons for our decisions on complaints

We are respectful

  • We respect the rights and privacy of our donors and prospective donors
  • We will not put undue pressure on our donors or prospective donors to make a gift. If they do not want to give or wish to cease giving, we will respect their decision
  • We have a procedure for dealing with people in vulnerable circumstances and it is available on request
  • Where the law requires, we will gain consent before we contact someone to make a donation
  • If a donor or prospective donor tells us that they don’t want us to contact them in a particular way, we will not do so. 

We are fair and reasonable

  • We treat donors and the public fairly, showing sensitivity and adapting our approach depending on their needs
  • We take care not to use any images or words that intentionally cause distress or anxiety
  • We take care not to cause nuisance or disruption to the public

We are accountable and responsible

  • We manage our resources responsibly and consider the impact of our fundraising on our donors, supporters and the wider public
  • If, for any reason, a donor or perspective donor is unhappy with anything we’ve done whilst fundraising, we hope they’ll contact us and tell us. We will listen to their feedback and respond appropriately to any compliments or criticism we receive
  • We have a complaints procedure, a copy of which is available on this webpage.  This also explains how to contact the Fundraising Regulator in the event that a donor or prospective donor feels our response is unsatisfactory
  • We monitor and record the number of complaints we receive each year and share this data with the Fundraising Regulator on request

Our fundraising complaints procedure

Our core mission and the trust of our donors are central to all our fundraising activities. 

If you have reason to make a complaint about any aspect of our fundraising activity, you should address your concern directly and in writing to the Fundraising Office. 

Email: [email protected]. Post: Fundraising Office, Student Funding and Outreach Manager, West Dean, Chichester, PO18 0QZ. 

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Timescale to make complaint: within 12 weeks of the fundraising incident or the communication that you are complaining about. 

  • Stage 1 - complaint to Fundraising Office and timescale for response 

The Fundraising Office will investigate your complaint, record it securely and respond promptly and within 21 working days of receipt. If the matter requires further investigation, we will provide you with an update within this time frame. 

When making your complaint, please provide as much information as you can to assist us in handling your complaint. At a minimum, please tell us details of your concern or complaint relating to our fundraising practice, as well as provide us with contact details for the best way to contact you to try and resolve your complaint. If you can, please tell us when it happened and the context and what you would like us to do to put things right. 

  • Stage 2 - escalation to the Chief Executive & Principal and Board of Trustees and timescale for response 

Should you remain dissatisfied, you may forward your concern to the Chief Executive & Principal.  

The Chief Executive & Principal will investigate your complaint, record it securely and respond promptly and within 21 working days of receipt. If the matter requires further investigation, we will provide you with an update within this time frame. Your complaint will also be shared to the Board of Trustees.  

The Fundraising Office has a duty to report all concerns to The Board of Trustees who will receive an annual report summarising any complaints received from our donors and prospective donors and the general public about our fundraising practices. 

When making a complaint, please provide as much information as you can to assist us in handling your complaint. At a minimum, please tell us details of your concern or complaint relating to our fundraising practice, as well as provide us with contact details for the best way to contact you to try and resolve your complaint. If you can, please tell us when it happened and the context and what you would like us to do to put things right. 

  • Stage 3 - contact the regulator 

Should you remain dissatisfied, you may forward your complaint to the Fundraising Regulator. The Fundraising Regulator reviews concerns and complaints where a fundraising organisation may have breached the Code of Fundraising Practice.  

The Fundraising Regulator is the independent regulator of all fundraising carried out by or on behalf of charitable, philanthropic and benevolent organisations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They also regulate fundraising in Scotland carried out by charities registered in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

The Fundraising Regulators role includes maintaining and developing the UK-wide Code of Fundraising Practice (the code) and investigating complaints from members of the public about fundraising practice if these cannot be resolved by the charities themselves.  

Your personal information 
We will use the information you provide us to record and respond to your complaint. 

Our fundraising promise logo badge

So many of the wonderful things that happen at West Dean College and Gardens are made possible thanks to your support and generosity. 

We are a proud member of The Fundraising Regulator which is how you know that when you make a donation to us you can be confident that our fundraising is legal, open, honest and respectful.